RETURNED CONTINGENTERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9547, 30 September 1902, Page 2

RETURNED CONTINGENTERS.

NEW ZEALAND OR SOUTH AFRICA?

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.;

WELLINGTON, this day. A deputation representing officers and men of the New Zealand contingents, interviewed the Minister of Lands yesterday to explain the terms under which New Zealanders have been offered land in South Africa, and to ask what facilities will be allowed them to take up land in this- colony instead of going to Soulli Ainca. The deputation, which, was introduced by Mr j. H. Witheford, M.H.R., comprised Captains Coutts, Stevenson, Richardson, Chas. E. Browne, and Lieutenants Lorigan, Vallaace, Travers, and D* m 4 officers. Messrs K. H. Rhodes, Flatman and Buddo, members of ,the House, were also present. Mr Witheford explained that the New had been allowed only one month ,t© decide whether they would or would not accept the offer of the Imperial authorities for land in South Africa. Lieutenant Lorigan read 'the terms now under offer, as follows:—The men will be allowed to choose the colony in which. tu.ey wish to settle. Any man with £500 Wli! if 81ven a sttbsidy of £1 for £1, and will be given concessions in regard to stock etc. Seed will be given free of cost for two years, and steam ploughs will be placed at the- disposal of the settlers for a like period free of cost The Government will import all fanning implements and sell them at cost, price. A market will be guaranteed for produce lor five years. The services' of veterinary surgeons will be granted free, and until Oie railway is built in the district steam haulage and transport to the nearest railway will be provided for the settler. Moreover, ihe settlers will be given the first opportunity of d'oiiiir any work which, offers. ""%ri Te deputation therefore wished itTnow wjiat facilities would be given to New Zealand troopers-to take up land in this colony as they preferred to remain in ■this colony instead of returning to South Alnca. They wanted to know what area of nrst-class land was available, and whether any special settlement, laud could be taken up without delay. Was the Minister, they asked, prepared to enlarge the area offered for special settlements under ■the Act of 1892, and would he grant a specialy clause to.enable selectors to obtain the freehold? They also asked if tie would agree to the extension of .the term for the payment of rent from two to ten years.

Captain Browne further explained that under the terms offered, while a married man would have the right to. take his wife with him, an unmarried man would be permitted to take his- brother, and settlers would be taken to the laud from the coast free of charge Mr R. H. Rhodes, M.H.R., hoped the MiiKster would take this matter into his serious consideration, and, if possible, formulate a scheme of special settlements to meet this demand. He knew that special facilities to settlers were being offered in bouth Africa, and that even if any man took a fancy to any particular farm tiie authorities would purchase that farm for him and settle him upon it. The Imperial authorities were anxious to see good settlers introduced into the colony in order that the Dutch votes might be 'outnumbered.

The Minister, in replying, said that the deputation had brought before him a very large, order, and to give a reply in such short notice would be impossiblp. Any facilities granted would have to'be open to all the troopers and officers, and he supposed that this would mean 6000 men.

Mr Witheford: Not more than 2COO men will take up the land. i Tke o .Mil»ster agreed that not more than 2000 men might be prepared to take up the land, but anyone of the 6000 who applied would require to have his claims met. However, he would have to consult his colleagues on the subject. It would take some time to formulate a plan and to see what laud they could set apart, for the purpose. There would be no chance of doing anything until, after the session. His sympathies were with the men who went to South Africa, and he would do all he possibly could to meet: the wishes of those who desired to settle on the land, but it would be impossible to reply straight off. . Mr Witheford said the applications he had received numbered 80.. He asked if 40 men formed a special settlement whether ,tiie Minister would give them a block of land out of the 57,000 acres now available?

The. Minister replied that it might be done,' but not in a day. • As the deputation' pressed for an early reply, in view of the urgency of coming to a decision regarding the South African offer, Mi- Duncan promised that he would consider the whole matter immediately after the session, and give a reply early next week.

PENSIONS FOR CONTINGENTERS. The Military Pensions Bill extends the operation of the Military Pensions Extension to Contingents Act, 1900, to the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and. Tenth New Zealand Contingents. It also proposes to repeal section 4 of the principal Act, and to substitute a clause providing that the Government may from time to time appoint a Board consisting of not less than three medical practitioners, whose' duty it shall be to enquire into every claim for a pension or gratuity in respect of a wound or injury received in the actual performance of military duty or in respect of the death of any officer, noncommissioned officer or private who died iii New Zealand, and report thereon to the Governor. No such pension' or gratuity is to be granted except on the unanimous recommendation of the Board.' With regard to the conditions uider the Act of 1866, under which a. pension may be granted to a widow, the Bill provides that instead of it being necessary for the death having taken place "within six months of his being first certified to be ill," it shall-be a condition, that he must have "first been removed from duty on account of such illness, provided the illness is certified to have commenced during and as the result of active operations, or that he died in consequence of injuries received in the performance, of military duty, otherwise than in action, within, 12 months after having been injured. The pensions granted under the principal Act. to widows whose husbands were killed, and in cases where the father was killed in action, are extended to include those who within 12 months died of their wounds. A similar extension, is proposed to in cases where the husband or father has died from illness contracted in the field. :